Excessive sugar consumption can raise health insurance costs

While some members of Congress are eyeing a possible soda tax as a way to hold down future health insurance increases and pay for reforms to the healthcare system, the idea is running into considerable opposition from the industry.

While some members of Congress are eyeing a possible soda tax as a way to hold down future health insurance increases and pay for reforms to the healthcare system, the idea is running into considerable opposition from the industry.

The proposed soda tax is seen as one way to fight rapidly escalating childhood obesity rates as well as a sharp increase in type 2 diabetes. In fact, that disease has become so common in young people that doctors have even stopped referring to it as "adult onset diabetes."

With these things in mind, the Coca Cola company has indicated that it will start providing more prominently displayed nutritional information on its products.

This is seen as a response to criticism of the health effects of soda and as a way to counter calls for a tax on sugar-filled beverages. The idea has also proven unpopular among the general public so far.

Regardless of whether the soda tax proposal ever goes anywhere, health issues brought on by excessive sugar consumption are unlikely to decline in the short term. With that in mind, people can go a long way towards lowering health insurance costs and improving their quality of life by watching what they eat and drink.